Story Tags

Bright Boulevards, Bold Dreams: The Story of Black Hollywood

Hollywood Babylon: Biographies of the Golden Age of Cinema

There’s something wrong in Hollywood

Everyone loves a good story. The Golden Age of cinema, filmmaking during the 1910s - 1960s, was no exception. Tinseltown was, and still is, in the business of mythmaking and -- from the “lowly” assistant to the matinee idol -- everyone had a tale of victory and calamity, intrigue that attracted (or was generated by) the rumor mill. These Hollywood hopefuls wrestled against studio-contrived standards that transcended the screen and into the collective consciousness.

Book cover Map collected and last poems

Contemporary Central European Literature

Writing from the Lands Between

Central European writers created some of the most distinctive prose and poetry of the 20th centuries. Kafka, Sienkowicz, Kundera, Andrić, Musil, and others masterfully employed irony, gallows humor and the anti-heroic “view from below” in their examinations of modern bureaucracy, ill-treatment by historical forces and the weight of memory. This list provides suggestions for readings from their 21st-century literary heirs (loosely conceived) – writers born in a mutilated world that demands both praise and lament.

Around American to Win the Vote

Celebrating Female Suffrage

Books for Kids and Tweens

August 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, the Constitutional amendment that granted women the right to vote nationally. To celebrate, the entire year will be full of chances to learn about the 19th Amendment and to teach about and celebrate the women known as suffragettes, who fought for the 19th Amendment and for their ability to engage in the political process. 

Shall Not Be Denied

100 Years of the Vote

Women's Suffrage for Adults

This August, the United States celebrates 100 years since the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote. The fight for the vote was not over then, but it was a major step forward for so many and was the culmination of a fight that had been waged for decades. 

Book cover This Road I Ride

Bicycle Journeys

Epic adventures on two wheels

Are you a metro-area bicycle commuter who dreams of strapping a set of panniers onto your bike and heading far from the madding crowd? One needn’t be a cyclist to enjoy a tale of long-distance cycling – experience perhaps doesn’t even help the enjoyment. The books below are a combination of first-person narratives of explorations of undiscovered territories, both external and internal, and well-researched histories of epic journeys across continents.

Danube cover

Along the Danube

The lower Danube River is a route rich in history and nature. In 2014, I had my first view of the Danube River in Budapest, Hungary. Instead of a group tour of eastern Europe, I decided a river cruise would be a relaxing way to see more of this magnificent river and the countries along the way. Below are a selection of related titles I've read and enjoyed. Copies are available to check out and download from the library system.

Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube

Strong Appeal

Books I Put on Recent Recommendation Lists for Both my Mom and Sister

I like to think there are many perks to having a librarian in the family. My arts and crafts skills are impeccable, I can organize like nobody’s business, and, provided I know you well, I can produce book recommendations at the drop of a hat. That is why, for the last few years, I have gotten into the habit of creating recommended reading lists for my immediate family members for birthdays and other holidays. With Mother’s Day having recently passed, and my sister’s birthday coming up soon, I thought I’d share some of the books I recently recommended to both of them.

On the Other Side of Freedom The Case for Hope

Perspectives on Black America

...challenging the status quo

Happy Juneteenth! A holiday to commemorate the end of slavery! Indeed, all lives matter. Presently, there is a resounding call echoing across the globe, declaring: "Black Lives Matter" in response to systemic oppression and racism that continue to thrive. This list of books challenges the status quo. A cohesive message exists urging readers to become aware, empowered and to stand for equity and lasting change.

Midnight in Siberia

Mother Russia

Adventures in the Land of Putin and Beyond

Russia has been in the news a lot over the last four years and usually not in a good light. There is that thing called the 2016 election and Russia’s interference. The United States and Russia/The Soviet Union have not always had the best rapport but, love it or hate it, Russia is addictive. Its people are beautiful and strong. And, while cold and allusive at first, they are some of the warmest and most welcoming people in the world.

Bad-Ass Librarians Timbuktu

Books About Books in Troubled Times

While finding time to read can feel like a luxury, books have often been vital and necessary for surviving and sustaining through difficult times. Many people have also found many books and collections important enough to risk their own lives in order to protect them. The following books dive into the role books, manuscripts and libraries have played in times of war, crisis and change.  

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